


Fall Foliage

by FurnitureGemstone



Series: Hope It's A Good Time! [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Attacks By Monsters, F/M, Hot Cocoa, Soft Kisses, Walks In The Woods, Warm Sweaters, hand holding, pure fluff, what
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 14:18:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16477163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FurnitureGemstone/pseuds/FurnitureGemstone
Summary: It's fall, the perfect time for hot cocoa, warm sweaters, and walks through the changing leaves, or so Alphinaud hopes. Perhaps the Warrior of Light will be interested?





	Fall Foliage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [louderthanthedj](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=louderthanthedj).



> Another little present for the lovely louderthanthedj who gifts me way too much amazing art of my characters and is way too easy to write adorable fluff for.
> 
> I promise I do more than just write presents for her! <3

“Attempting to woo a sweetheart?” Alisaie remarked from her spot across the room, nursing a cup of tea in her hands. Her eyes lit up as she studied the package under her brother’s arms, and the two steaming mugs of cocoa in his hands. 

Not one to miss an opportunity to tease her brother, “Perhaps our lovely Warrior of Light? Going to woo her with sweets and,” Alisaie eyed the package again with a devilish smirk, “A nice present? With your imagination, it’s probably something silly like matching clothes.” 

Alphinaud huffed in response, “It is _ not _ matching clothing,”  _ It was absolutely matching clothing _ . But, he wasn’t about to tell his sister that. “Hope’s had a bad and busy week, and I just thought something small would help cheer her up. Maybe a sort of..”

“Date?” Alisaie finished his sentence, still grinning. “Hot cocoa, matching outfits, holding hands and walking through falling leaves… You’re too predictable, dear brother.” Alphinaud only let out a frustrated grunt in reply, stepping past his sister and into the Solar of the Rising Stones where he hoped Hope was already waiting for him. 

Shutting the door behind him as best he could with his hands full and a package under his arms, he was greeted by.. ..Hope fast asleep on one of the couches next to the main desk. Chuckling, Alphinaud strode forward, carefully setting down package and mugs, before walking over and gently kneeling down beside the sleeping woman.

“Hope?” He called out, quietly, but still loud enough to try and rouse her from her sleep. She stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent, before opening both eyes wide and sitting up with a start. 

“Gah!”

“Gah?” Alphinaud stood, stepping back as well. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I had the worst dream…”

“About? Primals? Ascians?”

“No. I was stuck in  _ school _ and had to share a room with other people, and there were  _ exams _ and  _ papers _ and..” Turning to look at Alphinaud, Hope let out a small chuckle, “I suppose that’s not much of a scare considering you attended the Studium…”

“No, I suppose not,” Alphinaud chuckled in turn, before standing straight and striding back over to the desk. Picking up both mugs of cocoa, and the package, he handed both package and a mug over to Hope.

“What’s this?” Hope glanced down at the package in her lap after taking a long, and much-needed sip of cocoa. Gods, it tasted  _ almost _ perfect, as if Alphinaud had gone to Coerthas and back himself just for the recipe.  _ Not that he had, of course _ . At least not today. Setting down the mug, she turned the package over in her hands.

Alphinaud studied her with curiosity for a moment, before a sudden blush began to form across his cheeks. Running a thumb over his own mug of cocoa, he hesitated a moment before finally speaking.

“Ah, well. Since it’s getting to be fall, and you’ve been rather busy, I thought perhaps a present was in order.. And that mayhaps we could take a day trip to the Fringes.”

“The Fringes?” Hope raised a brow, “Something wrong with the Castrum and the Resistance?”

“Not at all,” Alphinaud sighed, trying to hide his blush somewhat with his bangs, “It’s just that I’ve been told the Fringes have beautiful trees the perfect color for fall, and I thought maybe a trip to see them would be beneficial.” 

“I see.” Hope did her best to hide her own smile, busying herself with opening the package. Carefully removing the wrapping, she pulled out a nice, warm, cozy, knitted sweater in a deep purple hue. Alphinaud swore he heard his sister’s voice in his head as Hope held it up. _ Predictable, dear brother. _

“It, ah, you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to, but I,” Alphinaud pulled up his own coat sleeve, revealing a sweater of the same material, only in blue, underneath. He felt the heat in his cheeks starting to spread to his ears. Hope’s smile only grew wider as she kept her own sweater up in front of her.

“Give me a moment to finish the cocoa and put it on. Then we’ll head out, yes?” Alphinaud gave a quiet nod, quickly finishing off his own drink before stepping outside.

-

The teleport to the Fringes was uneventful, despite Alphinaud nearly falling over himself when he’d seen Hope dressed in her new sweater. She had it neatly tucked under her usual oversized hood and coat, the material hugging her curves in all the right places, enough to cause Alphinaud’s cheeks to turn the color of the nearby leaves.  _ It’s only the chill _ , Alphinaud had stated with a small stutter when Hope had given him a concerned look followed by a knowing grin. She looked so pretty, the purple color bringing out both her eyes and the dyed streak in her hair. She’d put part of it up in a braid to keep it out of her face, and it helped accentuate her rosy cheeks and smiling face.

Turning away quickly in the hopes he wouldn’t be caught staring, Alphinaud gingerly reached out to grab Hope’s hand instead. It was so  _ warm _ and soft, surprisingly so with how much fighting and work she did. He felt a wave of relief wash over him when Hope simply squeezed his hand back. 

The two walked quickly through the castrum, in the hopes no nosy Serpent Officers, or worse, members of the Resistance decided to see what was up. It wasn’t long before they found themselves lost among the crisp hues of red and gold of the East End’s trees surrounded by the quiet babbling of a nearby brook that ran through. It was peaceful. And quiet, save the sounds of nature.

Alphinaud took the opportunity to pause just beneath a shorter tree, leaning up against Hope’s side. He studied her for a while as she was engrossed in the sights and sounds around them, before gently squeezing her hand to get her attention. Turning toward him, Hope gave him a quizzical look, before smiling sweetly.

“Hope..” He started, squeezing her hand again, half to reassure himself in the moment. He opened his mouth to speak again, when he noticed something odd behind her. Furrowing his brow, he glanced around her instead. Was the tree, moving? Alphinaud squinted a bit harder, wondering if it was the wind playing tricks, but he could swear that branch looked almost like an-

“Watch out!” Hope tackled Alphinaud to the ground as the actually an arm and  _ not _ a branch swung at him, the entire tree coming to life. The leshy swung at them both as two beady, glowing eyes opened up near its upper foliage, before giving a terrifying roar and swinging the entire top of its branches in their direction. Alphinaud and Hope both rolled out of the way, before clamoring to their feet, grimoire and scythe drawn.

The leshy turned to swing at them both again, before being distracted by the materializing of a carbuncle at its side. Giving a small chitter, the topaz quickly threw itself at the beast, holding its attention long enough for Hope to swipe at it with her scythe, chopping off several nearby branches. It roared again, backing up and shaking leaves from its crown, swinging madly as carbuncle, mage, and arcanist threw all manner of spells at it.

It wasn’t long before the beast was felled, stumbling back and collapsing into a heap of leaves and dying branches. Alphinaud immediately turned, casting a physick spell in Hope’s direction only to feel the shimmer of a cure spell flickering around him. Both chuckled in unison as they took a moment to look the other over, each covered in dead leaves and bits of broken branches. Dismissing his carbuncle, Alphinaud did his best to try and brush them both off.

“Well, that wasn’t exactly the  _ relaxing _ walk I had hoped for. Perhaps I should inspect any other trees we decide to pause under more carefully first.” Picking a stick from his braid, Alphinaud let out another chuckle, tugging free the tie and running his fingers through his hair. He paused a moment as he caught Hope staring at him.

“What?” She only pointed at him, before giggling. 

“You look like you have a crown, there are so many leaves in there!” Reaching out, Hope plucked a particularly golden colored leaf from his bangs. Alphinaud reached up, feeling even  _ more _ stuck in place than he’d thought. He took a moment to look over Hope again, still equally disheveled, with bits of stick and leaf in her own braid. 

Pointing in return, “So do you. It seems we’re matching.” He plucked one carefully from her braid, letting it fall to the ground with a small flutter.

“Just like our sweaters. Appropriate for a  _ date _ ,” Hope mused, the giggles turning into a soft grin. Letting his hands fall from his hair, and making sure the tree behind them was  _ actually _ only a tree, Alphinaud stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Hope’s waist. He smiled at her a moment, gazing into those wonderful eyes, before leaning in a bit closer.

“I don’t think we’ve had a date yet that hasn’t ended in some unexpected battle, or attack, or falling into oceans..” Alphinaud chuckled, hugging Hope a bit tighter, “I guess I should come to expect it, considering.”

Hope only hummed in response, leaning into the hug, “Well, you  _ are _ dating the Warrior of Light, after all.” 

“Warrior of Light, daring fighter, strong healer, most beautiful woman in the realm, nay all of Hydaelyn.” Leaning in a bit more, Alphinaud gently pressed a soft kiss to Hope’s lips, relishing a moment in the wave of heat that washed through his body, and the soft, sweet feel of her lips pressing back against his. The way she softened and relaxed under him as he held her, and the small, content sigh that escaped her lips when they finally pulled apart was enough to send another jolt of electricity through his spine.

Even if their dates never ended as planned, Alphinaud couldn’t help but feel lucky to be beside the most wonderful woman he’d ever known. 

**Author's Note:**

> "Hope" it was cute! ;)
> 
> If you like this silly fluff, I do a lot of writing on my tumblr (https://scholarlostintime.tumblr.com/) for my RP characters, or check out my writing here on AO3 if you like silly Alphinaud/WoL fics.


End file.
